Driving mechanism for locomotives



(No Model.)

J. M. MOMASTER. DRIVING MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

N0.4-4Z,821. Pat ed Dec. 16. 1890.

Z0550 em as. gem. (3 Jade/w,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

JOSEPH MQMGMASTER, OF ROCHESTER, NEV YORK.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,821, dated December 16, 1890.

Application filed September 18, 1890. Serial No- 365,4l2. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. MCMASTER,'

My improvement relates to the driving mechanism of locomotives.

The invention consists in substituting for the ordinary crank and connecting-rod of the driving-wheels a double crank and a set of.

compound levers with suitable connections, whereby the power is applied vertically downward instead of horizontally on the wheels. By this means greater adhesive power with the track is obtained by reason of lifting the unbalanced part of the locomotive, which liftreacts through the levers to press the driving-wheels by so much the more on the track. Consequently a greater load can be moved. Furthermore, by the application of this vertical power to the drive-wheels at two diametrically-opposite points by the use of a double crank the strainis balanced, the counter-weight of the wheel is dispensed with, and the hammer blow of the counterpoise is avoided.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive, showing my improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of one of the drive-wheels, showing the double crank. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a face viewof the drive-wheel and the levers connected therewith adapted to running a single drive-wheel.

A indicates the locomotive.

B is the steanrcylincler, provided with the ordinary piston and connecting parts.

C is the slide, running forward and back in' the ordinary ways a a.

D D are the driving-wheels, also of usual form, except that instead of the ordinary single-acting crank they are provided with double Cranks Z) b, Fig. 2, located exactly equidistant from the center of the wheel, and

they are carried out longer than the ordinary crank, being designed to run as close to the track asis consistent with safety. One wristpin 19 is attached direct to the face of the wheel. The other I) is attached to the outer side of the arm W, by which means the rods connected therewith can turn free with the revolutions of the wheel, one outside and the other inside of the crank-arm.

E E are two parallel eonnectingrods connecting the wrist-pins of the two drive-wheels, as shown in Fig. 1, and F F are two links pivoted centrally thereto at one end and to long levers G G at the other end. Said levers extend longitudinally forward and are pivoted at d d to the front of the engine, either above or below the cylinder. The rear ends of the levers, to which the links are attached, stand above the connecting-rods E E, and they simply play up and down vertically, their stroke being such as to rotate the wheels by making full revolutions of the cranks. Equal motion is given to both wheels by means of the connecting-rods.

H H are two pitmen pivoted at one end to the slide 0, eithertogether or separately, and at the other respectively -to the two levers Gr Gin the positions shown in Fig. 1-that is, so that by the playing of the slide forward and back the levers will be each in turn worked downwardone by the motion of the piston outward, the other by the motion of the piston inward.

An eccentric motion is effected by proper or suitable position of pitmen H H, which, working each in an arc, give different times to successive parts of the vertical movements of the levers and enable the strains to be so adjusted that the force of the piston moving backward and forward is changed into a suecession of vertical downward movements alternately on each wrist-pin. The fulcrum is the ways in which the slide moves, and these ways and the forward part of thelocomotive, to which the ways are rigidly attached, are lifted by so many pounds pressure as causes the drive-wheel to turn, and all this lift presses vertically down through the levers on the driving-wheel, pressing the driving-wheel on the track, and thus increases its adhesion ex IOC actly in proportion to. its. resistance till it reaches the whole weight notbalanced on the driving-wheels. Each wrist-pin upon being forced down, as stated, is left at the bottom and is carried up by the rotation of the wheel. (The reason is the eccentric motion of the pitmen through the levers being arranged so that they act on each wrist-pin when at the top more quickly.) This carry- !0 ing up of each wrist-pin and its connections in turn adds their inertia also directly to the driving-wheel, acting against the downward pressure of the descending wrist-pin, with the track for a fulcrum and not the axle, so adding to the adhesion.

The result of the eccentric motion of the pitman above described is very slight, being only enough to change the strain from wristpin to wrist-pin, and is allowed for bya little :0 looseness of the boxes.

The above describes a locomotive having two drive-wheels on each side connected byv parallel connecting-rods. The invention is equally applicable to engines having a single 2 5 drive-wheel on each side.

connecting-rods E E are dispensed with and the levers G G and links F F are connected directly with the crank-pins of the drivewheel, as shown in Fig. 3. here more than 0 two drive-wheels are used the connecting-rods are made longer and connected with wristpins on every wheel.

By the use of the compound lever-work above described the power is applied vertically downward on the drive-wheels by the downward motion of the links FF, instead of horizontally, as in ordinary locomotives. Power is also applied at two diametrically- In such case the opposite points on the double cranks, by which means the strain is equalized on both sides and the hammer blow of the counterpoise is'avoided. It obviates the use. of the connterbalance-weight in the wheel opposite quently causes the wheels to slip.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a locomotive, the combination, with the drive-wheel D and piston-slide C, of the double cranksb Z), suitable links F F, and the levers G G, with suitable pitmen H H, connecting the lovers with the slide for the purpose of changing the pressure of piston from the axle to the track, as herein described.

2. In a locomotive, the combination, with the drive-wheels D D and piston-slide C, of the double cranks b b, the connecting-rodsE E, connecting the cranks of the two wheels, the levers G G, the links F F, connecting the connecting-rods with the levers, and the pitmen H H, connecting the levers with the slide, as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH M. MCMASTER.

Witnesses:

R. F. Oseoon, WM. J. McPHERsoN. 

